High Freestream Turbulence Effects on Turbulent Boundary Layers

1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 276-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. A. Thole ◽  
D. G. Bogard

High freestream turbulence levels significantly alter the characteristics of turbulent boundary layers. Numerous studies have been conducted with freestreams having turbulence levels of 7 percent or less, but studies using turbulence levels greater than 10 percent have been essentially limited to the effects on wall shear stress and heat transfer. This paper presents measurements of the boundary layer statistics for the interaction between a turbulent boundary layer and a freestream with turbulence levels ranging from 10 to 20 percent. The boundary layer statistics reported in this paper include mean and rms velocities, velocity correlation coefficients, length scales, and power spectra. Although the freestream turbulent eddies penetrate into the boundary layer at high freestream turbulence levels, as shown through spectra and length scale measurements, the mean velocity profile still exhibits a log-linear region. Direct measurements of total shear stress (turbulent shear stress and viscous shear stress) confirm the validity of the log-law at high freestream turbulence levels. Velocity defects in the outer region of the boundary layer were significantly decreased resulting in negative wake parameters. Fluctuating rms velocities were only affected when the freestream turbulence levels exceeded the levels of the boundary layer generated rms velocities. Length scales and power spectra measurements showed large scale turbulent eddies penetrate to within y+ = 15 of the wall.

1968 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. McDonald

SummaryRecently two authors, Nash and Goldberg, have suggested, intuitively, that the rate at which the shear stress distribution in an incompressible, two-dimensional, turbulent boundary layer would return to its equilibrium value is directly proportional to the extent of the departure from the equilibrium state. Examination of the behaviour of the integral properties of the boundary layer supports this hypothesis. In the present paper a relationship similar to the suggestion of Nash and Goldberg is derived from the local balance of the kinetic energy of the turbulence. Coupling this simple derived relationship to the boundary layer momentum and moment-of-momentum integral equations results in quite accurate predictions of the behaviour of non-equilibrium turbulent boundary layers in arbitrary adverse (given) pressure distributions.


2013 ◽  
Vol 715 ◽  
pp. 477-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zambri Harun ◽  
Jason P. Monty ◽  
Romain Mathis ◽  
Ivan Marusic

AbstractResearch into high-Reynolds-number turbulent boundary layers in recent years has brought about a renewed interest in the larger-scale structures. It is now known that these structures emerge more prominently in the outer region not only due to increased Reynolds number (Metzger & Klewicki, Phys. Fluids, vol. 13(3), 2001, pp. 692–701; Hutchins & Marusic, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 579, 2007, pp. 1–28), but also when a boundary layer is exposed to an adverse pressure gradient (Bradshaw, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 29, 1967, pp. 625–645; Lee & Sung, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 639, 2009, pp. 101–131). The latter case has not received as much attention in the literature. As such, this work investigates the modification of the large-scale features of boundary layers subjected to zero, adverse and favourable pressure gradients. It is first shown that the mean velocities, turbulence intensities and turbulence production are significantly different in the outer region across the three cases. Spectral and scale decomposition analyses confirm that the large scales are more energized throughout the entire adverse pressure gradient boundary layer, especially in the outer region. Although more energetic, there is a similar spectral distribution of energy in the wake region, implying the geometrical structure of the outer layer remains universal in all cases. Comparisons are also made of the amplitude modulation of small scales by the large-scale motions for the three pressure gradient cases. The wall-normal location of the zero-crossing of small-scale amplitude modulation is found to increase with increasing pressure gradient, yet this location continues to coincide with the large-scale energetic peak wall-normal location (as has been observed in zero pressure gradient boundary layers). The amplitude modulation effect is found to increase as pressure gradient is increased from favourable to adverse.


1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 530-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Klewicki ◽  
R. E. Falco ◽  
J. F. Foss

Time-resolved measurements of the spanwise vorticity component, ωz, are used to investigate the motions in the outer region of turbulent boundary layers. The measurements were taken in very thick zero pressure gradient boundary layers (Rθ = 1010, 2870, 4850) using a four wire probe. As a result of the large boundary layer thickness, at the outer region locations where the measurements were taken the wall-normal and spanwise dimensions of the probe ranged between 0.7 < Δy/η < 1.2 and 2.1 < Δz/η < 3.9, respectively, where η is the local Kolmogorov length. An analysis of vorticity based intermittency is presented near y/δ = 0.6 and 0.85 at each of the Reynolds numbers. The average intermittency is presented as a function of detector threshold level and position in the boundary layer. The spanwise vorticity signals were found to yield average intermittency values at least as large as previous intermittency studies using “surrogate” signals. The average intermittency results do not indicate a region of threshold independence. An analysis of ωz event durations conditioned on the signal amplitude was also performed. The results of this analysis indicate that for decreasing Rθ, regions of single-signed ωz increase in size relative to the boundary layer thickness, but decrease in size when normalized by inner variables.


Author(s):  
Yvan Maciel ◽  
Tie Wei ◽  
Ayse G. Gungor ◽  
Mark P. Simens

We perform a careful nondimensional analysis of the turbulent boundary layer equations in order to bring out, without assuming any self-similar behaviour, a consistent set of nondimensional parameters characterizing the outer region of turbulent boundary layers with arbitrary pressure gradients. These nondimensional parameters are a pressure gradient parameter, a Reynolds number (different from commonly used ones) and an inertial parameter. They are obtained without assuming a priori the outer length and velocity scales. They represent the ratio of the magnitudes of two types of forces in the outer region, using the Reynolds shear stress gradient (apparent turbulent force) as the reference force: inertia to apparent turbulent forces for the inertial parameter, pressure to apparent turbulent forces for the pressure gradient parameter and apparent turbulent to viscous forces for the Reynolds number. We determine under what conditions they retain their meaning, depending on the outer velocity scale that is considered, with the help of seven boundary layer databases. We find the impressive result that if the Zagarola-Smits velocity is used as the outer velocity scale, the streamwise evolution of the three ratios of forces in the outer region can be accurately followed with these non-dimensional parameters in all these flows — not just the order of magnitude of these ratios. This cannot be achieved with three other outer velocity scales commonly used for pressure gradient turbulent boundary layers. Consequently, the three new nondimensional parameters, when expressed with the Zagarola-Smits velocity, can be used to follow — in a global sense — the streamwise evolution of the stream-wise mean momentum balance in the outer region. This study provides a clear and consistent framework for the analysis of the outer region of adverse-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers.


1957 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Norbury

SummaryAn approximate method is described for the calculation of turbulent boundary layers in which the turbulence is developed before the commencement of the adverse pressure gradient, as in most diffuser layers. It is based on a method due to Spence which has been modified and also extended to the calculation of three-dimensional diverging layers such as occur in ducts whose breadth is increasing. The velocity profiles occurring in a diverging layer are examined and it is shown that the inner part obeys the universal logarithmic law, as in two-dimensional layers. This result is used to obtain an equation for the form parameter in diverging layers, by substitution in the equation of motion and incorporation of the equations of momentum and continuity for diverging flow. The form parameter equation contains a term involving the gradient of shear stress at y = θ and values of this term are obtained by the analysis of experimental data and the substitution of known values for all the other terms in the form parameter equation. Values of the term involving shear stress gradient are then correlated in terms of known boundary layer quantities, and the resulting correlation allows the formulation of a step-by-step method for the solution of the form parameter equation. This may be used in conjunction with the momentum equation to predict the boundary layer growth. It was not found possible to effect a satisfactory correlation for boundary layers on lifting aerofoils, in which the turbulence develops within the adverse pressure gradient, and the method cannot be used for the prediction of such layers. The results of a number of calculations are given.


2000 ◽  
Vol 122 (3) ◽  
pp. 533-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. F. Tachie ◽  
D. J. Bergstrom ◽  
R. Balachandar

An experimental study was undertaken to investigate the effects of roughness on the structure of turbulent boundary layers in open channels. The study was carried out using a laser Doppler anemometer in shallow flows for three different types of rough surface, as well as a hydraulically smooth surface. The flow Reynolds number based on the boundary layer momentum thickness ranged from 1400 to 4000. The boundary layer thickness was comparable with the depth of flow and the turbulence intensity in the channel flow varied from 2 to 4 percent. The defect profile was correlated using an approach which allowed both the skin friction and wake strength to vary. The wake parameter was observed to vary significantly with the type of surface roughness in contradiction to the “wall similarity” hypothesis. Wall roughness also led to higher turbulence levels in the outer region of the boundary layer. The profound effect of surface roughness on the outer region as well as the effect of channel turbulence on the main flow indicates a strong interaction, which must be accounted for in turbulence models. [S0098-2202(00)00803-8]


2019 ◽  
Vol 866 ◽  
pp. 526-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiho You ◽  
Tamer A. Zaki

Direct numerical simulations are performed to study zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers beneath quiescent and vortical free streams. The inflow boundary layer is computed in a precursor simulation of laminar-to-turbulence transition, and the free-stream vortical forcing is obtained from direct numerical simulations of homogeneous isotropic turbulence. A level-set approach is employed in order to objectively distinguish the boundary-layer and free-stream fluids, and to accurately evaluate their respective contributions to flow statistics. When free-stream turbulence is present, the skin friction coefficient is elevated relative to its value in the canonical boundary-layer configuration. An explanation is provided in terms of an increase in the power input into production of boundary-layer turbulence kinetic energy. This increase takes place deeper than the extent of penetration of the external perturbations towards the wall, and also despite the free-stream perturbations being void of any Reynolds shear stress. Conditional statistics demonstrate that the free-stream turbulence has two effects on the boundary layer: one direct and the other indirect. The low-frequency components of the free-stream turbulence penetrate the logarithmic layer. The associated wall-normal Reynolds stress acts against the mean shear to enhance the shear stress, which in turn enhances turbulence production. This effect directly enlarges the scale and enhances the energy of outer large-scale motions in the boundary layer. The second, indirect effect is the influence of these newly formed large-scale structures. They modulate the near-wall shear stress and, as a result, increase the turbulence kinetic energy production in the buffer layer, which is deeper than the extent of penetration of free-stream turbulence towards the wall.


Author(s):  
Y. X. Hou ◽  
V. S. R. Somandepalli ◽  
M. G. Mungal

Two methods of recovering the entire total shear stress profile from incomplete velocity data in turbulent boundary layers are presented and validated for both DNS simulations and experimental measurements. The first method, an exponential-polynomial curve fit, recovers the whole total shear stress profile well by using the data from the outer part of the boundary layer (y/δ > 0.3). However, this curve fit is sensitive to the quality of the data. The second method, a new (1−y) weighted straight line fit, which is very simple and accurate, has been applied to current experiments of drag reduction in zero pressure gradient turbulent boundary layers with polymer injection. The total shear stress profile obtained from this fit is used to estimate the contribution of the polymer stress to the total shear stress.


A numerical method is presented for calculating unsteady two-dimensional laminar and turbulent boundary layers with fluctuations in external velocity. The method used an eddy-viscosity formulation to model the Reynolds shear stress term appropriate to turbulent flow and an efficient two-point finite-difference method to solve the governing boundary-layer equations. The method is used to calculate phase angles between the wall shear stress and an oscillating external laminar boundary layer over a flat plate. The results are in excellent agreement with the analytic solutions of Lighthill for the high- and low-frequency limits and provide information in the region between. Similar calculations for turbulent flows are compared with experimental data and the method shown to be more precise than previously described attempts to represent flows of this type. The agreement between calculations and measurements is imperfect but probably within the resolution of the experiments and adequate for engineering purposes.


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